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Updated: Mar 18, 2026
Author Spotlight: 3D Movement Assessment of Maxillary Posterior Teeth in Clear Aligner Treatment
Published on: February 23, 2024
Three-dimensional analysis of tooth movements after palatal miniscrew-supported molar distalization
Gökhan Serhat Duran1, Serkan Görgülü2, Furkan Dindaroğlu1
1Research assistant, Department of Orthodontics, Dental Sciences Center, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
Introduction:
The aim of this prospective clinical study was to evaluate the dentoalveolar effects of a palatal miniscrew-supported molar distalization appliance using a 3-dimensional reverse engineering method.
Methods:
This study sample comprised 21 patients at an average age of 13.6 years with a bilateral Class II molar relationship. Distalization was performed using skeletal anchorage. Dental casts were obtained just before treatment and after appliance removal, and they were scanned with a 3-dimensional dental scanner. The digital dental cast images were aligned. Four points and 2 lines were determined on each tooth, and the correlations between tooth movements and the linear and angular changes were analyzed 3 dimensionally.
Results:
In the sagittal direction, the first molars showed a mean linear movement of 4.10 ± 1.57 mm, with distal tipping of 11.02°; the central incisors showed a mean distal movement of 0.95 ± 0.40 mm, with retroclination of 1.59 ± 0.59°. In the vertical direction, only the first molars showed intrusion, with a mean value of -0.59 ± 0.50 mm. Rotation of the first molars was 4.92° ± 3.09°. The second molars had the greatest rotation. The highest correlation among tooth movements was found between the first and second molars.
Conclusions:
Through support from the anterior palatal region, the maxillary first molars were distalized without anchorage loss. Furthermore, movement was observed in all 3 planes of space with reduction from the posterior to the anterior in the maxillary arch.
